The Sunday News
Phineous Mkwazo
IN a month the sporting world’s eyes will turn to London for IAAF World Championships which take place from 4 August to 13 August at the London Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The event will see 1 800 athletes from around 200 countries compete for the title of world champion.
Zimbabwe will be represented by five athletes, namely: Pardon Ndhlovu, Rutendo Nyahora, Fortunate Chidzivo, Millen Matende, and Cuthbert Nyasango, who all qualified for the biennial word’s athletics spectacle.
Starting this week Sunday Life Sport looks at the profiles of the members of Team Zimbabwe starting with crack marathon runner Pardon Ndhlovu, who represented Zimbabwe at the 2016 Olympic Games.
Factfile
Name: Pardon Ndhlovu
Date of birth: 23-08-1987
Event: Marathon
Ndhlovu, who sums up his success story in three words, patience, persistence and progress, was a four-time all-American cross country and track and field performer at UNC Pembroke where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 2013.
Ndhlovu earned his MBA degree in December 2015 at Augusta University and worked there as an assistant coach. He is an ambassador for a social enterprise that distributes clean water worldwide. He is also vice-president of SEFAYE (Sports and Education for African Youth Empowerment).
He started running in Primary school when he was 13 years old, and this began a long life journey of distance running. He went on to be a competitive athlete in high school where he earned a scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
Coaching Career
Graduate Assistant for Cross Country, Track and Field for Augusta University.
Personal Records
5000m – 14:10, 2013, Raleigh Relays (3rd)
10000m – 29:04, 2013, Penn Relays (3rd)
Half Marathon – 1:06:40, 2013, Orlando Half Marathon (2nd)
Marathon – 2:16:51, 2015 Chevron Houston Marathon (10th)
HONORS
2-time NCAA Division II Cross Country All-American, 2009, 2012
2-time NCAA Division II Track and Field All-American, 10000m in 2012 and 5000m in 2013
Captain of UNC-Pembroke Cross Country team, 2009-2012
2 time Southeast Region Cross Country Athlete of the year 2011, 2012
Southeast Regional Track and Field Athlete of the year 2013
Road Racing Achievements
2th Place, 2013 Orlando Half marathon
1st Place, 2012 Myrtle BI-LO Half marathon
10th Place, 2015 & 2016 Houston Marathon
Track and field achievements
7th Place, 2013 NCAA Outdoor 5000m Championship
11th Place, 2013 NCAA Outdoor 10000m Championship
3rd Place, 2013 Penn Relays 10000m (College Men Championship)
1st Place, 2013 Peach-Belt Outdoor 1500m, 5000m and 10000m Conference Champion
1st Place, 2012 Penn Relays 10000m (College Men Championship)
4th Place, 2012 NCAA Outdoor 10000m Championship
3rd Place, 2011 Penn Relays 5000m (College men race)
Provisional NCAA qualifier for 5000m in 2009 and 2010
3rd Place, 2006 Southern Africa Zone VI Youth Games, Namibia.
Cross Country Achievements
1st Place, 2012 Southeast Region Cross Country Championships (10,000m)
32nd Place, 2012 NCAA Cross Country Championship (10,000m)
3rd Place, 2012 D1 Pre-National Cross Country Championships (8000m)
1st Place, 2011 Southeast Region Cross Country Championships (10,000m)
2011 Cross Country National Qualifier
4th Place, 2010 Southeast Region Cross Country Championships (10,000m)
2010 Cross Country National Qualifier
30th Place, 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championship (10,000m)
5th Place, 2009 Southeast Region Cross Country Championships (10,000m)
10th Place, 2006 Southern Africa Region Cross Country Junior Championships.
